Pinewood Derby

The twins are in Pioneers at our church. Every year Pioneers Club hosts a Pinewood Derby. This year the twins decided they wanted to make a car. They didn't want to just buy one that was pre-made, they wanted to built it with their Daddy from a block of wood. So we bought the wood block kit that had basically a block of wood and wheels. The girls and their Daddy went to a workshop and made their cars. Today they raced their cars at the Pinewood Derby. Hannah's truck, which is light blue, won 1st, 2nd & 3rd place during a couple of races. And Kristen's truck, metallic blue, won 1st, 3rd & 4th place during a couple of races. Kristen won a trophy for 2nd place in best design from a block of wood. Kelson enjoyed eating and watching the races. Emma and her friend Emma helped at the bake sale. It was a long, but fun day!

Little Composers

Hannah and Kristen are always composing music on their own. Kristen says she hears it in her head and then writes the notes down on paper. She hasn't placed them on a staff, but remembers what position they are on the keyboard. Back in December I took this picture of the two of them composing a song together. I thought it was priceless!

Emma's First Job

Emma is very excited about her first "real" job. One of our neighbors just got an 8 week old lab. She works and can only come home at lunch. So she asked if Emma would mind letting the dog out during the day. This is perfect for a girl who begs me daily for a dog. She is not only getting paid, but she is also learning the responsibilities of having a dog.

Today Huckins, the dog, came down to our house while we schooled. The twins are now asking us for a job like Emma. So we thought of some things they could do around the house for us. They told us that wasn't a real job!

Here is a picture of our happy girl! The first day Emma had to take care of Huckins she was giving me a hard time about writing a story of two people talking. (We are learning about quotation marks and all the rules.) So I told her I would pretend to be her and she could write back to me what Huckins thought on his first day with her. That worked really well. Here is the story.

Today was the first day Emma pet sat the dog next door. His name is Huckins. Here is what happened on their first day together.

I walked into Heather's house to let Huckins out. "Huckins you already went potty," said Emma as she opened the cage door. "Let's go outside."

"OK, now let me out or I might go potty some more," said Huckins excitedly. "Ooh, ooh, I remember there is kitty poop out by the front door." Huckins charged out the door to find the poop.

"Huckins! No, no! Don't eat that," Emma said as she picked him up and carried him to her front yard. After Emma put him down on the ground Huckins sat and looked at her thinking,"What are we doing next?" Emma shook the toy duck and said,"Come on Huckins." Then she started to run and Huckins followed.

Emma ran Huckins around the oak tree many times. "I am tired, slow down," said Huckins.

Emma asked Hannah and Kristen,"Can you go get Huckins some water?"

Huckins said,"Yes, yes, get me some water." When they came back he drank and drank. "That's better. Let's play some more,"said Huckins as he ran and jumped. Emma ran around the yard as Huckins chased after her.

"Huckins, it's time to take you back home,"said Emma.

"Ah, I want to play some more. Can I please stay?" said Huckins, as he sat down not moving an inch. Emma came over and petted Huckins until he started to bite. "Let's play," said Huckins.

"OK Huckins, we can't play anymore. I have to go back inside and do my schoolwork. It's time to go home you silly boy," said Emma as she picked him up and carried him home.

Orville and Wilbur Wright

A couple of weeks ago, the twins gave an oral report on the Wright Brothers for their history coop class. They decided to dress up and pretend they were the Wright Brothers and tell their class about "themselves" (speaking in 1st person). They wrote their own reports based on the books we read. Their Daddy helped them build a glider out of toothpicks and styrofoam trays. It turned out great! They also copied pictures, cut them out and I helped them make a timeline of the Wright Brother's flying machines. Here are some pictures. Hannah is on the left as Orville and Kristen is on the right as Wilbur (because it had part of her friends name in Wilbur...Will.) They learned a lot and had fun preparing for the report.

Christmas Day

This Christmas was very relaxing. The kids got up around 7:00 a.m. and we watched them open their stockings. After we started the coffee brewing, ate a little something, we started to open presents. The tradition at our house is to watch as everyone opens presents. We didn't want our kids flying through the present opening time and saying."Do I have more to open?" So we let each person open a present and everyone watches. Plus, after the kids open one present it gives them time to play with it before they open another. They actually enjoy their presents and are not overwhelmed.

Every year our children get three presents from us like Baby Jesus got from the wise men. Sometime I get creative and make one box of stuff that goes with the theme. For example, this year the girls have really liked spy stuff after watching SPY KIDS. So they each got trench coats, spy books and other spy gadgets in a box as one present. Kelson loves watching the movie CARS so he got a winter theme car set of all the Cars characters, wooden Thomas the Trains, and a new/used bike that looks like a racing motor cross bike. Kristen got a metal detector with book about geodes, a science super ball making kit and a spy box. Hannah got a hair chair with accessories for her American Girl doll, an American Girl Doll hair book with CD to learn how to style hair and a spy box. Emma got "the Biggest Littlest Pet Shop", a digital camera and a spy box.

MeMe bought them their Vermont shirts with butterflies and Kelson got a sea turtle shirt, along with some books written by a local author. After we opened presents Pete finished cooking the ham and we ate dinner. Then we played the rest of the day. The girls and I went to see my mom for a couple of hours later in the day since she was had been down with phenomena for a couple of weeks. Nannie bought them some other little things they have been asking for like more Littlest Pet Shops, marbles, science kits and Thomas the Train tracks with train cars. When we got home from Nannie's, we ate a light meal of left overs and had Happy Birthday Jesus cupcakes.

Visiting Friends

The children were very excited that their friends the Delanos were coming to stay with us. Their Mom & Dad had to attend a class out of state so their children stayed with us. Our friends had moved away 1.5 years ago and we've only been able to visit them twice. So it was a real treat for them to come and stay with us for 10 days. I tried to plan the most exciting Advent activities while they were here. But I think they just like hanging out together the best.

One of the fun days we had was when we had a Snow Day. The night before I read stories about Snow Days and Snowflake Bentley. The next morning the windows were covered with that spray snow. I put fake sparkle snow in and on different decorations throughout the house. Jack got to pick the pocket that morning and pulled out candy snowflakes. God blessed us with a beautiful day too. It had been in the 80's and that day the highest it got was 60 degrees. I bought the snow that grows from Steve Spangler science website and they played in the snow. They also ate snowman popcorn which is popcorn, marshmellows and pretzel sticks. Emma and Elyse also got a BIG surprise...got to go horseback riding!

Another fun day was Gingerbread Day. We went to the Gingerbread Extravaganza and then came home and made gingerbread men and women. Because it was raining and the little ones desperately needed a nap, the kids got to watch Night at the Museum 2.

We went to the zoo and spent six hours playing and looking at animals. Of course we did some school too. The Delanos are learning about Africa so Stacey showed them pictures and told them stories about being a missionary in Africa. The girls dressed in traditional African clothing that Stacey use to wear. The older children had to do an Animal Investigation sheet on an African animal they learned about at the zoo. While we were in the kids zone the children found they monkey bars and put palm leaves on them and pretended they were huts. One was a cooking hut and the other was the sleeping hut.

Tonight the older girls were surprised when we invited another one of their friends over for a sleep over. I kept telling them that someone was coming to the house to surprise them. They couldn't figure out who it was. What a great surprise! They all screamed with joy when they realized their friend was standing on the front porch.

God has really given me grace during this time taking care of seven children. Especially a couple of evenings when I was here by myself putting everyone to bed. I have prayed that I would be patient with so many and He has been faithful. I am not saying every moment of the day went smoothly because it didn't. But, we did laugh a lot, have tickle time before bed, give lots of hugs, play chase, and play Monster hide and seek. Included are some pictures of our time together.